Apparatus for stretching laundered articles for drying



A. 0. sons/mm. APPARATUS FOR STRETCIIING LAUIIDERED ARTICLES FOR DRYING.

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, I918- Patented Feb. 22,1921

m n P.) I C am 71, J f

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OF FICE.

ALBERT O. SCHRAMM, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING LAUNDERED ARTICLES FOR DRYING.

Application filedJ'une 29,

' it has for its object to provide apparatus of the general character stated, whereby laundered articles such as doilies, centerpieces, table covers, and the like, of circular, oblong, or irregular outline may be restored to their original form and outline after the washing or cleansing thereof; as is well known, the ironing and smoothing devices customarily employed in laundries are not satisfactory for the restoration to their original condition of circular or irregular pieces of drawn work, battenberg, etc., and in. cases where such circular or irregular pieces have embroidered or raised figures thereon, the employment of ordinary ironing processes after washing isfrequently ruinous, as the articles are greatly distorted by such processes.

In accordance with the invention, and in the preferred practice thereof, I provide a member having a preferably flat surface covered at the zone of contact with a washed article with a multiplicity of peripherally outwardly directed-points adapted to have a washed'article hooked thereon by its marginal edges and in stretched condition, while such article is still wet. I find that by the application of segments or pieces of carding cloth, which consists of a thick body having onesurface provided with projecting slant ing metallic points, which preferably cover the major portion of the area thereof, to the face of a suitably formed flat member, and with the points of each segment directed radially outward, a very satisfactory stretching apparatus is produced; in the use of such apparatus, the wet article stretched thereon, in the drying process will become taut, and the body thereof will be smooth and even after drying: and in the case of an article having embroidery or other raised Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

1918. Serial No. 242,556.

Work thereon, such raised work will be caused to stand out from the body of the article in its original form.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, combination and assoclation of parts, members and features,

all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing, and finally pointed out in claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

wherein like characters denote correspond ing parts in the several v views, and in whic 1 1 Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the stretcher upon which the circular and irregular shaped articles are to be stretched,

together with the means for quickly accomplishing the stretching of such articles to their correct shape.

- Fig. 2 illustrates a plan view of a modified construction of the stretcher illustrated-- in Fig. 1, and in which the means of holding the stretched articles consists of small segments of the material which covers the V entire stretcher shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of one of the segments illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: illustrates an enlarged sectional view of the segment shown in Fig. 3 and is drawn to the same scale.

In-Fig. l'of the drawings, e denotes a table, (t denotes a circular stretcher supported by rollers r projecting upward from the cross pieces 7 which rest upon the table e. The stretcher a revolves about the center 0. The cross pieces f support the uprights g and j. Supportedby the uprights g is the removable centering member h, which is held in place by the pins 5. -The upright 7' supports one end of the removable and graduated centering member 70. The centering member is is held in place upon j by the pin Z and upon the centering member h by thepin m which is located directly above the centerc of the stretcher a. Adapted to slide along the unsupported portion of the centering member 76 is the indicator 0 which is adapted to be clamped at any desired point along the projecting portion of the centering member is by the thumbscrew n.

preparation of cotton fiber for weaving. As

is well known, the surface of this carding cloth presents innumerable small bent wires,

all of which project in one direction, and in placing the cloth upon the surface of the stretcher a, it is necessary to cut the cloth intosegments indicated by the radial lines d, and to have the bent portion of the small projecting wires pointing away from the center 0. The small bent wires are shown in Fig. 4. It is unnecessary to cover the whole top of the stretcher with the carding cloth as shown in Fig. 1 as a narrow strip of this material is sufiicient for holding taut the edgesof the article to be stretched for drying. I have reduced the size of the segments of the carding cloth I), as shown by those comprising the inner circle 1) of Fig.2, and have mounted the segments of carding cloth bnpon removable blocks 8, as shown in Fig. 4, which have on their under surfaces dowels t adapted to enter holes provided in the surface of the stretcher a which are arranged so that the segments may occupy positions indicated by dotted lines of Fig. 2, or for stretching oblong'and other pieces, a combination of parts of these circles. It is obvious that the maximum number of segments required must be sufficient to complete, the outer circle a of Fig. 2, and that when occupying circles of larger diameter than the inner circle 0 a space will be left between the blocks, as indicated by those positioned along the outer circle a of Fig. 2. I further provide on the surface ofstretcher a, marked diagonal lines 1-10, 2-21, 3-31, 4-41, 5-51, etc., to facilitate the stretching of oblong shaped articles the detailed operation of which will follow.

Having thus described the parts comprisingmy apparatus I will first describe my method of stretching a circular article. I first measure the diameter of the article to be stretched and set the indicator 0 to the correspondingly marked graduation at p on the upper surface of the centering member it and clamp the indicator 0 with the thumbs screw n. 1- next place the segments (l in position on the circle immediately under the indicator 0 and then placing the washed but wet article .upon the table, placing one point ofithe edge immediately under the indicator, and then simply turn the table, locating the edge of the piece to be stretched by the indica'tor until the whole circumference has been placed in position, and if not stretched sufliciently taut I move the indicator outwardly the necessary distance and restretch the article to conform to the new circumference indicated. It is thus seen that a round article is stretched to a perfectly round shape, and it is only necessary to dry the article in this stretched position to complete the laundering thereof.

To stretch an oblong or oval shaped article I proceed as follows :Ifirst measure the longest diameter of the article and stretch it into position by the aid and the diagonal line 1-,10, then measure the short (1121116 If the article to be laundered is either of 7 an unsymmetrical shape or-has a very irregular edge as battenberg, etc, I proceed as follows :Before washing the article I 2 beneath the indicator 0 and record the distance indicated by the graduation p to the edge along diagonal 2- in the same manner as for diagonal 1-. I then proceed in like manner with the-remaining diagonals, preparing a complete schedule of the distances indicated. After washing the article it is only necessary to stretch it into position as per the prepared-schedule to re store its exact original shape, for drying- Thus any article, regardless of its shape, can be stretched to its original shape after washing, and by theuse of my method the shape of such articles is never changed by being laundered, which result is never obtainedthrough the use ofpresent methods. I have merely shown for convenience the I revolve the table bringing the diagonal use of carding cloth as a means of holding in position the edge of thestretched articles. Any other means, such as pins, clips, hooks, etc, may be used in combination with my indicating device, and the segments d may be equipped for the use of pins, clips, hooks,

etc., instead of the carding described. It.

constructed above'any stretcher. However I prefer a revolving round stretcher which avoids the necessity of walking around the stretcher when stretching articles.

I claim,

1. A stretcher of the character disclosed, comprising a flat member having a surface provided with a multiplicity of points directed radially toward the periphery of the member and adapted to have a washed article with a continuous curved margin stretched and hooked thereon by its curved marginal portions for drying and whereby the original outline of the washed article is restored; said points being disposed in position to engage the article at a multiplicity of opposed marginal points.

2. A stretcher of the character disclosed, comprising a circular member having a surface provided with a multiplicity of points directed radially toward the periphery of the member and adapted to have a washed article stretched and hooked thereon for drying and whereby the original outline of the washed article is restored.

3. A stretcher of the character disclosed, comprising a flat circular member having a surface provided with a multiplicity of points directed radially toward the periphery of the member and adapted to have a washed article stretched and hooked thereon for drying and whereby the original outline of the washed article is restored.

4:. A circular stretcher mounted for rotation about a fixed center, and comprising a fiat member having a surface provided with a multiplicity of points directed toward the periphery of the member and adapted to have the marginal portions of a circular washed article stretched and hooked thereon for drying and whereby the original outline of the washed article is restored.

5. A stretcher comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of engagement points projecting from its surface, means for rotatably mounting said member, and indicating means for indicating the radial distance from the center of rotation of said member of marginal portions of a washed article placed thereon and engaged by certain of said points. 7 6. A stretcher comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of engagement points projecting from its surface, means for rotatably mounting said member, and indicating means for indicating the radial distance from the center of rotation of said member of marginal portions of a washed article placed thereon and engaged by certain of said points; said indicating means comprising an adjustable indicating element and means for holding said indicating element in any of its positions of adjustment.

7. A stretcher comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of engagement points projecting from its surface, means for rotatably mounting said member and indicating means for indicating the radial distance from the center of rotation of said member of marginal portions of a washed article placed thereon and engaged by certain of said points; said indicating means comprising a radially adjustable indicating element and means for holding said element in any of its positions of adjustment.

8. A stretcher comprising a rotatable member having a plurality of engagement points projecting from, its surface, means for rotatably mounting said member, and indicating means for indicating the radial distance from the center of rotation of said member of marginal portions of a washed article placed thereon and engaged by certain of said points; said indicating means comprising an adjustable indicating element and supporting means therefor; and there being indicia whereby the radial distance between said indicating element and the center of rotation of said rotatable member may be determined.

9. A stretcher of the character disclosed comprising a member having a face, and a covering of cloth presenting a multiplicity of points directed radially and peripherally of the member applied to said face and whereby washed circular articles may be marginally engaged and held in stretched position for drying and restoration of the original outline thereof. 7

10. A stretcher of the character disclosed comprising a member having a face, and a covering of cloth presenting a multiplicity of points directed radially and peripherally of the member applied to said face and whereby washed circular articles may be marginally'engaged and held in stretched position for drying and restoration of the original outline thereof; and there being means for indicating the radial distance from the center of the member to marginal portions of the'engaged articles, to facilitate ihe centering of the articles upon the mem- 11. A circular stretcher of the characte disclosed, comprising a rotatable member, a frame, means for rotatably mounting said member upon said frame, indicating means, and an indicating means support extending from said frame and supporting said indimarginal portion of the article to be moved past the operator for adjustment upon the P nts r 12. A stretcher for circular objects, com- 5 prising a flat member, and means for engaging and holding circular Washed articles of varying diameters to said member; said engaging means being formed. for engagement with the Washed articles at their marginal portions and to hold the same to said mem- 10 ber in stretched condition for vdr in 'ALBERT 0. SC R MM. Witness:

M. L. WYNEKEN. 

